~ Hi there! On HGTV's Hit Reality TV Show DESIGN STAR, I sewed, painted & sawed my way through some pretty tough challenges, but design doesn't have to be hard! I believe in combining simple, timeless design ingredients to create what I call "Design Recipes". I hope you find this to be a truly awesome resource. www.design-recipes.com contains design tips, articles, podcasts, how-to videos and of course design recipes galore! I invented Design Recipes simply because I love sharing my ideas! For years I collected design magazines, tagged and clipped pages with inspirational images & did nothing! That's because I didn't have the resource information so I could purchase the beautiful furniture I was seeing on the pages of the magazines! With Design Recipes, I SHARE how the room was executed, giving you the basic design tools needed for you to recreate the same look on your own and best of all I give you all of the resource information! Enjoy!

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the real thing is priceless! When you’re selling your home, it’s important to entice buyers with an all-around good experience from the moment they step inside.

It’s probable that potential buyers set up a viewing because they were impressed by the photos they saw of your home. While visuals are a great way get someone’s attention, the overall impression is what will steer their decision to make an offer or keep looking. Don’t forget to pay attention to these three senses when you’re staging:

Sight: Because photos can be deceptive, it’s important to make sure that the real deal is just as appealing as the picture. Buyers will be immediately put-off if your home looks nothing like what was advertised. Clear out the clutter, swipe on a fresh coat of paint if you must, and make sure buyers get what they came to see! We love the clean and fresh look of this living room:

Sound: The location of your home can work either with you or against you in terms of sound. If you’re in a heavily populated area, make sure all windows remain closed to reduce any noise pollution. You could even consider playing soft background music. On the other hand, if you’re in a rural area, feel free to let natural sounds in! Either way, make sure there’s an ambiance that is appealing, not off-putting.

Smell: This is an important one. If a buyer thinks he or she might inherit an unpleasant smell when they buy your home, it’s highly unlikely that they will make an offer. Be sure to steam-clean carpets and upholstery to remove odors, and replace them entirely if you have to. For an added touch, use a lightly-scented candle or room spray — just don’t overdo it!